On receipt of your Excellency’s Favour of the 27th ult. I went to Ringwood, and visited the Houses and Buildings at that Place: Their is no Houses there that are fit to lodge Troops, nor is there any that can be repaired. Col. Hooper was kind enough to accompany me in the Inspection of them; a Memorandum of which your Excellency will receive inclosed from under his Hand.

I have directed Capt. Duncan to enquire for Saw Mills in the Neighbourhood of the Block House. He informed me that Mr Bush has a Mill about four Miles distance, and that he will be able to furnish 2000 Feet of Boards in about four Weeks. I should suppose that he might furnish a Part of them much sooner. Whether or not Boards may be had elsewhere, even at Mr Ogden’s Mills at this Place, which is not a great Distance.

If the Quarter Master will furnish Money to purchase the Materials, I have Carpenters in the Regiment, and will with Pleasure undertake to put the Block House in repairs at as little Expence as possible.

I observe your Excellency’s Directions respecting Clothing for the Regiment. It is unfortunate for us that the Secretary at War is so near leaving Philadelphia for the Eastward: I shall however make the necessary Application to him for Clothing; in the mean Time I have sent the Bearer, Lieut. Torrey, my present Acting Paymaster, to enquire of the Deputy Clothier-General at Newburgh, and to know the Supplies of Clothing which have been issued for the Year 1782 to the army in general, in order that my Application to the Secretary at War may be accompanied with a Claim of Justice in equal Supplies.

Mr Moylan has frequently assured me that the Regiment undr my Command should have a full Proportion of Clothing with the other Parts of the Army; he has not however convinced me, or the Officers of my Regiment, that those plausible Promises have as yet been carried into Execution, which renders an Enquiry into this Matter very necessary.

A Part of my Business at Philadelphia was to procure some Articles of Clothing that the Men were a suffering for the Want of: Woollen Overalls, Shirts, Shoes and Blankets in particular. Mr Moylan has sent a few Blankets, and 500 Pair of Shoes, of a bad Quality, and the Shoes are so small in general that they will not answer our Men, consequently they must be returned. Instead of 500 Pair of Woollen Overalls he has sent only 200; we are therefore deficient in Shoes and Woollen Overalls, the most necessary Part of a Soldier’s Clothing at this Season of the Year; and I clearly see that before their will be any Possibility of obtaining any articles of Clothing from Philadelphia the Severity of the Winter will be over.

I have in Obedience to your Excellency’s Commands sent a Waggon to Newburgh with Returns of Quarter-Master’s Stores, Shoes and Woolen Overalls; the last mentioned Article I beg your Excellency will order to be delivered; Decency urges this Application, and Necessity requires it as the Men are naked.

Your Excellency may rest assured, that contrary to your Intentions, the Regiment under my Command is far behind the other Parts of the Army in Point of Clothing, which becomes a Duty in me to investigate. I have the Honour to be, With great Truth and Sincerity, Your Excellency’s most obedient And most devoted humble Servt